Egyptian postal workers strike enters third consecutive day

Dozens of Postal Services Authority workers on Wednesday continued their sit-in outside the Central Administration of Postal Services in Cairo to demand the resignation of Communications and Information Technology Minister Mohamed Abdel Kader Salem. They also called for an investigation into what they described as “financial violations” within the authority.

Postal workers in Beni Suef closed their offices to the public and refused to dispense pensions, leading to fights between the public and postal workers in several districts of Beni Suef City.

“We have entered into an open-ended sit-in and all our colleagues from other offices will join us until our demands are met,” said protester Mahmoud Ali, saying that 1,200 employees work in the governorate’s seven postal offices.

The workers are demanding increased bonuses, the dismissal of ministry advisors, increasing aannual raises to a minimum of 7 percent and awarding bonuses on based on comprehensive rather than base salaries. They also want paid leave on Saturdays, compensation for work-related injuries or illness and full-time employment for temporary workers.

Postal Services Authority Chairman Mosad Abdel Ghany said there were no disruptions in any public services at postal offices nationwide, with the exception of the main headquarters in downtown Cairo. He said the protesters disrupted work at the main office by organizing a sit-in inside the building and refusing to leave.

Abdel Ghany told Al-Masry Al-Youm said that Beni Suef postal offices were open today, adding that five offices had closed, but employees re-opened them after learning that post offices nationwide had resumed work.

He went on to say that some of the workers’ demands were not within his authority, such as dismissal of the communications minister, but that he would “work on implementing any demands that can be achieved.”